Creative types keen to work alongside others in a vibrant new creative precinct should submit pitches now for studio hire, exhibitions and tuition at Artstation.

As part of the revamp at the landmark Ponsonby building, Auckland Council is calling for proposals to use new studio and gallery spaces, and to run a wide range of creative tuition programmes during 2014.

The changes at Artstation are the result of extensive community consultation, which identified a new strategic purpose for the centre: to support vibrant, connected and liveable communities through the provision of arts, creative and cultural activities.

“This is an exciting time for Artstation. We are keen to involve as many creative people and ideas as possible in making the vision a reality for the city,” says Kaye Glamuzina, Auckland Council Manager Arts and Culture.

“We want to cultivate a creative community that is vibrant and inspiring and that accommodates everyone from beginners to experienced creative practitioners and audiences.”

In a first for Artstation, shared and individual studios can now be hired, establishing a community of artists-in-residence to foster collaborative working relationships.

“One of our points of difference is a ‘dirty’ workshop, providing ceramicists, fused glass artists and others whose practices involve some mess the space and freedom to create,” says Ms Glamuzina.

Artstation has a 30 year history of offering visual arts tuition but, from 2014, its public programme will also include tuition in other creative practices such as music, digital media, performance and writing.

Weekend programmes, taster classes and shorter courses will be introduced to accommodate people’s busy lifestyles. Art and creative tutors are invited to submit proposals to run these.

Four new gallery spaces, being relocated to Artstation’s ground floor to improve public access, are also available to hire, individually or collectively.

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Expressions of interest for programmes, gallery and studio hire at Artstation for the first half of 2014 close on 14 October 2013.

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